Observation of a (6)(LambdaLambda)He double hypernucleus

Phys Rev Lett. 2001 Nov 19;87(21):212502. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.87.212502. Epub 2001 Nov 2.

Abstract

A double-hyperfragment event has been found in a hybrid-emulsion experiment. It is identified uniquely as the sequential decay of ( 6)(LambdaLambda)He emitted from a Xi(-) hyperon nuclear capture at rest. The mass of ( 6)(LambdaLambda)He and the Lambda-Lambda interaction energy DeltaB(LambdaLambda) have been measured for the first time devoid of the ambiguities due to the possibilities of excited states. The value of DeltaB(LambdaLambda) is 1.01+/-0.20(+0.18)(-0.11) MeV. This demonstrates that the Lambda-Lambda interaction is weakly attractive.